HOLMBERG: Sunday hunting ban could cost you some dents, maybe even your life

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been seeing more and more dead deer beside the road in recent years, and in the past few weeks.

Two of my cars have been damaged hitting deer, because I ride home at 1 or 2 a.m., after getting off work. It’s like Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom out there in western Hanover County. Deer, skunks, foxes, raccoons and those dang dimwitted ‘possums.

Usually, I ride a motorcycle. I’ve had numerous close calls. I once hit a bear cub a glancing blow with my knee. The thing was as black as midnight. Scared me worse than it did him, I’ll bet.

And I’m one of the very few who have survived a full-on deer-motorcycle collision – a full-grown doe. (Please don’t lecture me to slow down and pay closer attention. Believe me, I’m watching with gritted teeth. This one literally leapt right into my handlebars and chest.)

Friends, there are a quarter-million deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. each year. More than a billion in damages, with 200 or so people killed and lots more injured.

It’s going to get worse, especially in Virginia.

Here’s why:

We’re one of 11 states with a ban on Sunday hunting.

This ban is all part of the religious blue law movement (in the black-and-white photo era) that banned all kinds of things on Sunday: boozing, shopping, hunting, kissing at the tractor pull.

Back then, there were tons of hunters, plenty of habitat, natural predators and not so many cars.

Many of the natural predators have disappeared or declined. We’ve subdivisioned and shopping-malled away a huge portion of the habitat and criss-crossed the rest of it with roads.

Deer populations have skyrocketed since then and are now holding steady – about a million across the state. Hunters kill a little less than a quarter of them, according to the state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Which is why deer-vehicle collisions have shot up. Vehicles have become key predators in deer population management.

And this season is going to be especially tough. The cyclical acorn crop is unusually low this fall, which means critters that depend on them will be on the move, explained Lee Walker with the game department.

Meanwhile, the hunting population is aging quickly and on the decline. Each year there’s a steady 3 percent decline in state hunting licenses. That means the game department’s $56 million annual budget to care for the state’s vast acreage of wildlife habitat is shrinking.

And once the hunters in the boomer generation can’t limp out to the woods anymore, we’ll have to start hiring them as deer-crossing guards every half mile or so.

Recapping: Fewer hunters and predators, less habitat, more us, more cars and trucks and motorcycles = more chance your car and you or your loved ones could slam into a poor deer.

Hunting is known to improve the health of animal populations. Only the most blindly devoted animal lovers will argue otherwise.

The “animals need a day or rest” argument has been proven a myth.

The ban is also thought to cost the state tourism dollars.

A heavy duty lawsuit by Safari Club International is calling Virginia’s Sunday hunting ban unconstitutional (exactly!) and not based on game management science. The laws are under serious fire in the 10 other states that ban or restrict Sunday hunting.

Come on . . . folks can shop on Sunday. And the state recently decided to open its ABC stores on the holy day.

Which causes more noise and destruction: booze or hunting?

Drop the ban. At the least, let each county decide whether or not they want Sunday hunting.

On October 23, 2013, Safari Club International (SCI) filed a lawsuit challenging Virginia’s ban on Sunday hunting. The lawsuit argues that the ban is unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of Virginia, in particular because of Virginia’s constitutional right to hunt.

“Sunday hunting bans should be a thing of the past,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman. “Hunters have to work during the week, and young hunters are in school, making weekends the primary time they can hunt. The unconstitutional ban on Sunday hunting robs hunters of half their potential time afield, and has absolutely no basis in science or conservation.”

Kauffman noted that SCI anticipates debate over proposals to repeal the ban at least in part during the upcoming Virginia 2014 legislative session, and said, “As hunters, we are hopeful that state legislators support the Virginia Constitutional right to hunt and fish and pass meaningful legislation to repeal the ban. SCI will not formally serve the Commonwealth of Virginia until state legislators have exhausted their efforts in Richmond. The filing of this lawsuit marks our promise to pursue this issue through any and all available means,” Kauffman concluded.

In addition to the constitutional claims, SCI’s suit asserts that Virginia’s purported justification for the ban – to give wildlife a “day of rest” – is not supported by sound scientific or wildlife management principles. This misunderstanding of wildlife ecology was highlighted by Virginia’s Board of Game and Inland Fisheries when it stated , “the Virginia ban on Sunday hunting serves no biological purpose and is counterproductive to matters of game management.”

In polling conducted earlier this year an overwhelming 88.6% of SCI members supported full and/or partial repeal of Virginia’s Sunday hunting ban.

Eliminating the Sunday hunting ban will provide all hunters with an additional day to hunt, will encourage Virginia hunters to stay in state to hunt on Sundays, and will give out-of-state hunters the opportunity to visit Virginia to hunt on Sundays.

Only 11 states, all on the East Coast, currently have some kind of ban or limitation on Sunday hunting. Opponents of overturning the ban make baseless predictions of dire mayhem, but the existence of Sunday hunting in the vast majority of states proves that these wild predictions have no basis in truth. SCI hopes that success in Virginia might encourage other states to eliminate their statutory bans or limitations on hunting on Sundays. Professional wildlife managers should regulate hunting based on sound science and wildlife management principles, not archaic statutes that have no conservation value.

56 comments

Belsma

I have never noticed a deer in my yard or in the hood and this year hardly any acorns. I blame that on the weather. Do the deer and other wildlife not come out due to construction and guns chasing them out of their habitat? I would run the heck out of the woods too if I thought someone was trying to shoot me!

Scott Tucker

Deer are incapable of that kind of advanced thinking. They act on reflexes, instincts, and behave as they were taught by their mothers.
If their mother runs away from something, then so do they.
If their mother feeds in a flower bed, then so do they.

david nunnally

What’s the issue: deer population or sunday hunting? Let’s be rational. I tend to support allowing localities to decide. But hearing of a “heavy duty lawsuit” by Safari Club International turns my stomach. How ironic!

Paula Kennedy

I live in rural area and have never encountered as many hits as this idiot has. I have over 20 deer come into my back yard every evening and none of my neighbors have hit a bear, a deer, or a possum. Seems to me they read this nitwits article and decided to gang up on him! FYI, that many hits while on a motorcycle….winterize it and get a truck!

Neighbor

You also know that it is unconstitutional to make laws that are based just on religion. What about people whose beliefs do not require them to go to church on Sunday? What about all those people who do not go to church. You want to restrict their rights so you can practice your religion. That is being selfish and illegal.

“Another idea – have hunting allowed after 2 pm on Sunday. So Daddy and kids can go to church together….”

No.

I do not go to church on Sunday mornings. What you’re telling everyone who doesn’t worship as you do. Beyond the foolishness (Arrogance?) of stating that all others should be so restricted based on your beliefs and practices, such a compromise isn’t even logistically worth it.

The hunting day ends by law, barring tracking an already shot deer, when the sun goes down. Deer season is in the part of the year when it gets dark early in the day. What you’re saying is that I must restrict my time in the woods because of practices I do not engage in and then have almost no time for the hunt once I’m allowed out.

Yeah, no thanks.

Allow Sunday hunting. If it’s legal on Saturday, then it should be legal on Sunday. The church has no say in this.

Steve

I would think REAL daddies would want to be with their family on Sundays, but I know that’s not important to a lot of them. Very sad!!
By their support to “lift the band” they identify themselves to that category.

Ben

Obviously Mr. Holmberg doesn’t live in a rural area but many of us do and we want at least one day a week where we can go out into the parks and woods and not have to risk our lives in doing so because of slap happy hunters.

I am sure you are doing this on just your property. What about the rights of property owners to use their own property as they see fit. Of course you can show us all this damage and destruction that is preventing you from doing it because of “slap happy hunters” while slob trespassers destroy other peoples property as they are out and about in the parks and the land. Some of which they do not own.

Steve

Sue Rayburn

I am not opposed to hunting but…. I want to be able to go into the woods and my grandchildren like to play in the woods when they visit. How about the rights of land owners who want to be able to enjoy their land without getting shot! There is too much possibility for a stray bullet on hunting days.

No one is preventing you from playing with your grand children on Sunday. What do you do the other 6 days of the week? I am sure you can show how hunters are preventing you from doing this. We will await your reply.

Lisa Parkhurst

I will reply for her. I do not ride my horse around my house on my property during black powder or shotgun season. It is too dangerous. I stay in my yard with my dogs, but stay out of my own woods. I ride on neighbors land (which I have permission for- but he does not allow hunting- they hunt it anyway- no one lives there) on Sundays. I go to state parks otherwise. I pay big bucks to go to a private riding club’s land to ride so I am safe. I have had the roof shot right over my head when I have been on my deck. Its not fun. I work too and weekends are when I enjoy my time. I hate hunting season because it means I am severely limited to do my hobby. And the hunters drive me crazy hunting all around me and running up and down the road waiting for their dogs.

Lisa Parkhurst I am sure you reported all these times that you have had people shoot at you. Also if you are on a neighbors property and people are hunting there then they MUST have written permission on them to be there. If they don’t then have them arrested. Solve your own problems and quit trying to restrict all hunters for the actions of a few. Everytime someone makes these kinds of statements I ask ifthey have reported them to authorities and all eithet say NO or do not answer. Equestrians and many others drive me crazy by trespassing on areas I have permission to hunt on and they are trespassing. They do get reported and cited.

This issue has affected the outcome of the AG election this year M. Obenshain lost by just a few hundred votes. Many hunters would not vote for him because of his past stance against removing the ban on
Sunday Hunting. There are about 200,000 licensed hunters in this state. The state constitution sets out that there is a right to hunt and fish. Why can one be done 7 days a week and the other only 6. What other right can be limited by just the days of the week? Either the legislature does it this year or it will cost thousands to defend this last remaining blue law. Is it really worth all that money that will ahve to be spent.

david nunnally

For me, it’s not about religion. It’s one day that I feel safe to go in the woods, walk the dogs, trail ride, etc. Sunday is the one day I can fish the river without bothering duck hunters (or vice versa). DGIF’s newsletter has an article reminding people to wear blaze orange when doing chores or other outdoor activities. Hunting and fishing just aint the same(!). Sure, you can argue that the ban is the ‘last remaining blue law.’ And maybe Obenshain lost the election because of his position on this issue. But then are you saying our votes can be overruled by the courts? The cost of a lawsuit is your decision. Let the people decide, not the courts. I’m in favor of allowing county by county rules re: sunday hunting, but there are much more important issues when it comes to my vote. I voted for Mark Obenshain.

How can you feel safe the the other days of the week that also have hunters in the woods? How are duck hunters preventing you from fishing? Sorry those two reasons are non specific in they are just general statements with no support. Can you show where Deer Hunters are causing problems with your fishing. Also there is no right or gaurentee to FEEL safe anywhere. No our votes can not be overruled by the courts BUT the blue law that restricts hunting to just 6 days a week for no other reason than to make people FEEL safe or allow them to go to church can be declared unconstitutional. I am sorry you voted for a person who is against the private property rights of others and I am glad he lost as will other candidates who are against removing the ban.

As a bird hunter and now a deer hunter, and you say you’re a hunter, I assume you know there is a HUGE difference between buckshot and rifle. That’s your answer.

Everyone says “Call the game warden!”
We are on a first name basis.
It is the hunt clubs that come in, leasing land after driving 3+ hours, and, actually, some younger locals that do not respect property rights… yet for some reason THEY ALL RESPECT (so far) the ban.

Again, not intended for this, but heck: we’ll take *one* day a week, safely. Are you really asking us to give that up?

Yes in order for all to be treated equally when it comes to enjoying our documented constitutional rights. And if the only argument for not allowing that is to question others people’s credibility then you will lose. What other rights can the government restrict to one day a week? NONE Yet you condone this restriction for a one day false sense of safety.

We are adamantly FOR the ban. It’s not what the law intended, nor its purpose, but it allows *one* relatively safe day for our rural farming community to do farm work, ride horses, continue life as normal (think: let your children play outside, and even then, on Sunday, swathed in blaze orange) as it discourages the Come Here Hunt Clubs from obliterating anything that… moves. KEEP THE BAN.

Where does it say you are entitled to one safe day Hunters have offered several days of the week but all you non hunters say NO NO NO So that can not be it. Please show us where all these problems are occuring in the 44 states that allow Sunday Hunting? Show us documentation of these fears and maybe you will have a point of needing a so called”SAFE” day.

By the way can can you explain what the term “COME HERE HUNT CLUBS” are? Or is this another term the anti hunters have created to distort the issue since all your other objections have been disproven? Please show us all these so called hunters that shoot anything that moves?

Again would love to see all this examples from other states that are having this problem. No all hunters are not for the ban, all surveys show that the majority of hunters are for removal of the ban.

Please get started so that all can see how thin your reasons really are. Please.

By the way are you aware that there are forms of hunting allowed on Sunday? Are you aware that special interest groups are permitted to hunt in this state but the everyday hunter is not?

(I’d like to mention we are all HUNTERS *FOR* the ban.) Again, it keeps the Drive-Here’s that don’t know the ecosystem and just want to shoot anything that moves vs. the community who knows the herd and are actual locals shooting responsibly within their community, respectful of their neighbors’ property boundaries and, well, don’t even get me started.

Scott Tucker

Seasons and bag limits are set by state biologists with the goal of maintaining a healthy and sustainable deer herd in the Commonwealth.
If Sunday hunting is implemented, seasons will be shortened to compensate for the amount of additional hunting days added.
That’s just one of the reasons I oppose Sunday hunting, but there are more.

I have hunted every huntable animal in VA for over 40 years. I love to hunt, and I go whenever I can.

However, I am not blind and ignorant of the desire of non-hunters to enjoy the outdoors in Fall and Winter. I am happy to abstain from hunting so that they can get out on Sundays and walk, bike, ride horses, and fish in peace, without having to worry about taking extra safety precautions because of hunters.

But here’s my number one reason for opposing Sunday hunting.
Right now, non-hunters are not anti-hunters. But if we force people to consider losing their horseback riding, hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities on a peaceful Sunday, then we may not like the side they choose to take.

Don’t alienate non-hunters for a couple of more days afield each season.

The primary problems with deer being hit by cars occur in suburban areas, where deer can thrive in neighborhoods and are not hunted.
The best way to address that issue is to allow closely controlled hunting in those areas. Not just bowhunting.
Bowhunting is ineffective and it’s an inefficient way of killing deer. You end up with wounded deer running through people’s yards or dying in their flower beds.

Small caliber rifles from elevated stands on powerline right of ways, small woodlots, etc. is much more effective. Some towns in other states have implemented such solutions and found them to be highly effective.

It’s not just about religion. In fact, I’d say that is a very small part of it.

As for SCI, they do not speak for me, and I do not desire for them to speak for me. They are as damaging to hunting as the NRA is to responsible gun ownership.

david nunnally

Wrong again Mr Tucker. Many of the non hunters are anti hunters. The main reason they are anti hunters is because they are against hunting which makes them non hunters. Many non hunters are suprised that Sunday hunting is banned in Virginia. We force others to lose nothing with the removal of the ban. where do you see anything like that happening?

VDGIF has come out in the past and said there would be no appreciable change in hunting dates if Sunday Hunting was allowed as what Mr O’Brien has said that it is determined by number of deer harvested the previous year against the count of the current off year. That is just a smoke screen used by the VaHDA to scare hunters into thinking they will lose something if Sunday Hunting is approved.

No one has asked for SCI to speak for you and probably will not. They are taking this issue on for the benefit of all hunters in Virginia as requested by their members.

So if you want to allow close controlled hunting in suburban areas would that be permitted on Sunday or not? Would they get another special exemption like other groups do.

By saying Bow hunting is ineffective as a means of killing deer you are saying that this method of hunting has been useless since time immortal. Please tell all the Indians and others who have feed their families for centuries that their method is ineffective. Please tell all those who will harvest animals this year that their method is ineffective. But also please tell the VaHDA and HSUS they have yet to prove that point to anyone but their own members who fail to research this method of hunting.

Scott Tucker

I’ll add one more thing.
We moved from a small town to 70 acres in the country about a year ago.
When I was in town, I saw way more deer than I do now.
Hunting is only effective where hunting is allowed.
Adding Sunday hunting will do nothing towards alleviating the suburban deer problems.

Then why are areas like Fairfax that are having a deer problem spending money to hire hunters to kill excess deer in the city. And this is done in many cities in the state. Why is Urban hunting a special set of rules in many citys in order to get rid of nusiance deer populations. Those actions debunk your statement at its basis.

Matthew OBrien

Got that one wrong, deer and big game are managed by tags not days. Your deer season can be over in 3 days if you take the max of three deer per day. There is no good argument against Sunday freedom to choose any longer.

You can join the effort on Facebook by searching legalize Virginia Sunday hunting for all.

C.B. Smallwood

Remove the ban. No matter what all you people are arguing about , its a blue law from many moons ago and its unconstitutional, therefore illegal. Of course the president gets to do so many illegal things so maybe that’s our example? I hunt… but I think sunday should be a family day. I think that smallgame (rabbits treerats ect) and bowhunting should be lagal. However running dogs for deer and large group hunting should not.

Ii agree Sunday should be a family day where people spend time with their families doing things they all enjoy together. My family enjoys hunting, in all its forms, so thank you for proving that removing the ban on Sunday Hunting would allow me to spend more time with my family doing things things we enjoy, That includes large group hunting and hunting with dogs. Again thank you for your point.

C.B. Smallwood

Matthew OBrien

C.B. Smallwood

Jerry Frawley… I can appreciate your position… but you are coming off a little too aggressive in getting your points across… you can also sway peeps to the other side just by your actions out of the woods… drink a cup of decaf man!

david nunnally

Agreed. The ban will likely be ended, and localities will be granted the authority to determine hunting days, times, etc. I’m ok with that approach. We’ll then see all types: hunting every day, no sundays, hunting 3 days a week, and no hunting at all, etc. Ultimately, and hopefully, property owners will still have the right to allow hunting or not, and under their own terms–unless that right is taken away.

You make your points your way and I will make mine my way. Sorry but I am tired of hearing the same old disproven arguments on why there should be a ban on Sunday Hunting. I will take an agressive approach as I can.

Ron Herring

Today is Monday and 2 days after the opening of regular hunting season in Northumberland County. Hunting was very successful with a good kill rate throughout the county with various clubs. Yes, I am a club hunter and I love to hunt bow, muzzle and approved firearm allowed in my county. I have been hunting for 55 years ,starting with my father teaching me. Sundays were a vital part of my training. What you say!. Well let me explain. With no hunting on Sundays, we were afforded the liberty to roam the woods and he would show me the rubs and scrapes of turkey and dear, their travel and often come across the kill shot area. Being an experienced hunter he was also able to then show me the method that was used to track down a deer that was not an instant kill.
This is an important lesson to learn because you always need to find your wounded animal and not leave it to waste.
I say and my family says leave Sundays alone and not because of religion or the Blue Lay. Because of common sense. Another example, our children are grown now and when they bring their children over, we all go into the woods at some point on Sundays and we do not need the fear of a hunter making a mistake.
To address the population of the deer. Since we have a declining hunter registration, maybe that is because of the lack of ability to train young ones as noted above or maybe DGIF needs to revisit the deer kill quantity for regular hunters. 2 a day is enough, One week longer season on does and increase the limit on bucks to 4.
In regards to the extra tags on does, that is fine because it allows more funds to support DGIF. Funds are needed to run any organization and they appear to be doing a fair job enforcing the laws. Opening up Sundays increases a great burden on enforcement and there are no resources to support it. With all this said… you will have to assume that I am opposed to Sunday Hunting. Ron Herring .

Or maybe the decline in hunter and young hunters is the result of them participating in the other many activities on Saturday. By your argument you can not show young hunters the rubs and scraps on any other day of the week. WHY NOT? Do not use the danger argument because there are still people shooting guns on Sunday as there are no laws preventing that. I have hunted for over 50years and have hunted all over the country including many states that allow Sunday Hunting. It is a fact that all the states that allow Sunday Hunting have increasing hunting license sales. Those who do not have a declining hunter license sales. So again not allowing hunting on Sundays will not increase hunters or their ability to hunt.

Also since laws need to enforced whether hunting is going on or not means NO needed increase in game wardens. Again that is per the VDGIF.

Steve

Whie others try to dictate how others should spend their time in their own way with their own children. They congratulate people who advocate restricting rights of others for private purposes. At the same time they let others do what they stop the majority from doing.

John A. Jaehn

It is the only day of the week that my wife and I can walk around our 100 acres during the season. I have allowed hunting on this farm for 10 years. It ended this year. Unauthorized persons hunting. No hunting signs mean nothing.. The only halfwit with a gun on this land is me.

And no one is trying to say you can not do that with your own property. Removing the ban would not require any landowner to allow hunting on their property. If your property is posted then PLEASE have any trespassers arrested and they will then lose their rights to hunt in this state.

Please keep you property posted if that is what you wish and I implore all hunters to respect your right to do so and stay off it.

Butch Ammon

I will no longer hunt in Virginia, until the ban on Sunday hunting is lifted. Two years ago, my wife hit a deer on her way to work and did $4500 worth of damage to her car. Thank God she was not hurt! This was in the suburbs of the west end of Richmond too for that matter!
Granted, I still support hunting, the 2nd Amendment, etc…etc… and I still have my .308 rifle and my 12ga shotgun. But after one of the best senate bills (SB464) was killed by the ACNR, after it sailed through the house and senate, I gave up in disgust. Sorry Virginia, you all lost a hunter amongst your ranks. I’ll go elsewhere out of state where I can hunt the entire weekend (Sundays included!)

Ron Herring

david nunnally

A quick google search re: sunday hunting and car collisions might be helpful sorting fact from whatever. You could search re: deer population, management, etc. Based on the articles I read, the actual effect is minimal at best. Several states provide a host of options that Va could consider. Unfortunately, none of hunting strategies will keep you safe on your motorcycle ride home at 2:00am.

So then why is Virginia constantly in the 10 when it comes to deer car accidents? By just saying that you can find no proof doesn’t mean that the ban should not be removed. Unfortunately none of the DWI laws will prevent you on a car ride home at 2:00 am either.

Very good point Jerry, Virginia has been recently in the top 10 worst deer vs. vehicle collision states according to insurance statisistics. The General Assembly has failed to do anything to help control the rising deer population even though it is completely logical that more hunters will help control the herd better. You have to be intellectually corrupt or pushing an anti hunting agenda to not see that.

Give hunters the freedom to choose to hunt their own property on Sunday.

david nunnally

Based on the articles I read (re: sunday hunting and deer/car collisions) from other states, sunday hunting had little if any reduction in accidents. For suburban deer population control, game biologists recommend other herd management practices. Bow hunting in these areas has been generally allowed and with increased participation, yet the results on the herd numbers are insignificant. In rural areas, deer population can be controlled effectively by allowing harvesting of more does and by increasing seasonal bag limits. VaDGIf’s resolution re: sunday hunting ban is exactly right: sunday hunting is not an effective deer herd management strategy.

Also, none of the studies found significant increases in complaints (ex/ trespass, conflicts with outdoor recreation, etc) anticipated by opponents to sunday hunting.

That puts me back at my original comment: is Holmberg talking about sunday hunting (admittedly a vestige of va’s blue law) or the need for better control of the deer population? Conclusion: it’s about sunday hunting. And we all got caught up in it. I can’t find any real facts that link the two topics. To me, sunday hunting is social/cultural issue, not to be confused with the deer your wife hit at Innsbrook.